Chair of global plastics talks pledges deal next month

A global treaty to curb plastic pollution will be secured at a summit in South Korea next month, the chair of the talks pledged Wednesday, although he cautioned there were still complex disputes and the time frame was a "big challenge". Negotiators have met several times to discuss a deal that could include production caps, rules on recyclability, and bans on certain plastics or chemical components.

At previous talks, oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia objected to limiting plastic production, wanting to instead focus on recycling. Meanwhile, dozens of countries in a "high-ambition" coalition, including the majority of the European Union, are calling for tougher measures.